Beatles' company sues Apple

The Beatles' record company Apple Corps Ltd says it has filed a lawsuit against Apple Computer Inc, seeking damages for the alleged breach of an agreement regarding the use of the name "apple" and the companies' well-known logos.

A one-paragraph statement by the Apple record label on Friday said the suit was filed on July 4 in the High Court in London. The company is owned by Sir Paul McCartney; Ringo Starr; John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono; and the estate of George Harrison.

The suit seeks unspecified damages and an injunction to enforce the terms of a 1991 agreement concerning the future use of the name "apple" and the companies' respective well-known apple logos, the statement said.

Specifically, the complaint was made over the use by Apple Computer of the word "apple" and apple logos in conjunction with its new application for downloading prerecorded music from the internet, the Beatles' company said.

A spokeswoman at Apple records in London refused to comment beyond the statement, and McCartney's spokesman, Geoff Baker, did not return phone calls seeking comment.

In San Francisco, Katie Cotton, vice-president of worldwide communications for Apple Computer, issued a statement saying the company will await the court's ruling.

"Over a decade ago, Apple signed an agreement with Apple Corps, a business controlled by the Beatles and their heirs, which specified the rights each company would have to use the Apple trademark. Unfortunately, Apple and Apple Corps now have differing interpretations of this agreement and will need to ask a court to resolve this dispute," the statement said.